A Weekend Getaway to Yesan: Exploring History and Local Flavors
On a weekend adventure, my partner and I took a trip to Yesan, a town near Cheonan!
Since we often visit the eastern side of Cheonan, my partner suggested we explore the western side, leading us to Yesan!
Before this trip, when I thought of Yesan, I pictured 'apples,' 'Baek Jong-won (a famous chef),' 'my former team leader named JMS,' and 'Naepo New Town.' But after visiting, my associations expanded to include 'Chusa Kim Jeong-hee (a renowned calligrapher),' 'Patriot Yun Bong-gil,' 'Sudeoksa Temple,' and 'Deoksan Hot Springs.' I feel like I learned so much, I feel smarter now! Yesan is located in a flat area, making it one of the oldest cities with a long history of inhabitants, which explains why there are so many great figures associated with it. Unlike Cheonan, which is a relatively new city, Yesan has a rich history and tradition!
Our first stops in Yesan were the Chusa Memorial Hall and Chusa's Old House. Originally, the house was a grand mansion with 53 sections, but now only the sarangchae (outer wing), anchae (inner wing), shrine, and a few outbuildings remain. I heard the snowy scenery in winter is beautiful, and the daffodils and flowers are lovely in spring, and the autumn foliage is stunning, but it was green and pretty, even in the hot summer.
My partner is walking towards Chusa Kim Jeong-hee's tomb (left) and Chusa's Old House (right).
It was 35℃ (95°F) that day, so we brought parasols. Best decision ever! It was my first time using one, and it made a huge difference shielding me from the direct sunlight; made walking bearable.
Chusa's Old House is well-maintained, encouraging visitors to reflect on Kim Jeong-hee and the era he lived in. Although, with the sweltering heat, we enjoyed the summer while sweating buckets during our visit.
Chusa Kim Jeong-hee was famous as a man of letters for his calligraphy, books, poetry, ink paintings. Among his ink paintings, he was particularly skilled at painting orchids, bamboo, and landscapes. Lee Ha-eung (later Prince Regent Heungseon) even learned how to paint orchids from Kim Jeong-hee.
Epigraphy: the study of inscriptions, researching the writings on stone monuments, studying the writing, sentences, and history of previous eras. Chusa Kim Jeong-hee, an epigrapher, was influenced by the ancient Chinese and Korean inscriptions, which impacted his unique calligraphic style, Chusa-che. Kim Jeong-hee was the one who revealed that the Bukhansan Jinheung Wangsun Subi (Monument Commemorating King Jinheung's Visit to Bukhansan) was built during the Silla Dynasty!
I'm not sure what the difference is between a memorial hall and a museum, but Yesan has the Chusa Memorial Hall, Gwacheon has the Chusa Museum, and Jeju Island, where Chusa was exiled, has the Jeju Chusa Hall. Chusa Kim Jeong-hee was born in Yesan, but he spent his later years in Gwacheon before passing away. Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do doesn't have much historical attractions, so the city is trying to make Chusa the city's mascot by building the Chusa Museum. Yesan-gun (Yesan County), you better watch out!
I only knew Chusa Kim Jeong-hee for his Chusa-che calligraphy style and the painting 'Sehando (Winter Landscape),' but seeing the exhibits and explanations at the memorial hall allowed me to view him from a more complex perspective.
His great-grandmother was Princess Hwasun (King Yeongjo's daughter), and he was a member of the Gyeongju Kim clan... His family belonged to the Noron and Seoin political factions, but thanks to family elders who were detached from partisan strife, at the age of 16, he became a disciple of the most famous scholar of the time (Park Je-ga) and joined the Bukhak School, inheriting the Bukhak (Northern Learning) ideology of Park Ji-won. Despite difficult times due to his uncle's exile and the deaths of his grandparents, mother, and wife, he became deeply interested in Buddhism, remarried, and passed the civil service examination at the age of 23. At 24, he also went on a short-term training program in Qing China, exchanged new knowledge with top scholars, and abandoned the idea that Confucianism was the only truth.
His life, which seemed to be on a smooth path, was marked by exile-reinstatement-exile-reinstatement amid the power struggles of the Andong Kim clan and the Pungyang Jo clan. Perhaps he had some kind of realization after all of that? (Even in exile, he would only eat food brought from his family home... Definitely not an ordinary person.) He engaged in various artistic activities such as calligraphy, books, poetry, and painting, and interacted with many people. Many late Joseon scholars were influenced by Kim Jeong-hee. In his later years, he lived in Gwacheon, where his father's grave was located, devoting himself to Buddhism.
He was also an epigraphy scholar who discovered the Bukhansan Monument to King Jinheung's Inspection Tour... the one we saw in history books!
Nogyeoniseoyuanmyeong - Even in old age, seeing unusual writings makes the eyes brighter.
Sarangchae (outer wing)
I've heard that there are beautiful daffodils at Chusa's Old House, so I should come back in the spring.
I wanted to see the white pine tree that Chusa brought from China, but I couldn't find it, I searched and searched, but got too hot and got back in the car. I almost gave up, but the map showed that there was the 'Tomb of Chief State Councilor Kim Heung-gyeong' a considerable distance away, difficult to walk in the summer heat, and that the famous white pine was there, so we went.
This is the white pine! 白松 (Baeksong)
'Yesan Yonggung-ri White Pine,' Natural Monument of Korea No. 106 (Designated on December 7, 1962)
The white pine is managed by the Gyeongju Kim Clan Yesan Geupgyu Jeongsong Clan Association.
It is said that Chusa Kim Jeong-hee brought the seeds of the white pine in his pencil case when he returned from China and planted them next to his great-grandfather Kim Heung-gyeong's tomb. Just like Mun Ik-jeom brought cotton seeds!!
Yesan's white pine is a rare and old pine tree with great biological conservation value. It is also a valuable cultural resource that provides insights into the relationship with China and the customs of people who valued white pines at the time, so it is designated and protected as a natural monument.
This is a pretty pine tree next to the white pine.
Next up, Yesan Market!
Also known as Baek Jong-won Market! It wasn't super crowded these days, but there were still people there.
That price for that taste!
It wasn't super crowded after the controversy.
Yet-teo Knife-cut Noodles - Knife-cut noodles ₩5,000, Spicy knife-cut noodles ₩6,000
The price is cheap, and the taste is decent, proportional to the price! It's not bad~ The spicy knife-cut noodles are like spicy cold noodles. You order at a kiosk, and it's very quiet, so customers just eat and leave.
Sagwadang (Apple House)
I thought the best place we went to in Yesan Market was 'Sagwadang'! We bought two of each flavor of French pie, an apple pie, vanilla apple high, and apple milk tea, and they were all delicious.
Meat Pie
The meat pie, the pastry tasted like a factory-made product. But it's good for filling your stomach! It was probably ₩4,000, but it was a large portion.
There wasn't much to see or do, so we quickly looked around and headed home.
We drove from Yesan to Asan, then to the Cheonan Local Food Store. We need to buy groceries before heading home.
A strange village we saw on the way back to Cheonan.
Local food refers to local agricultural products (usually produced within a radius of 50 km) that are consumed locally. As far as I know, the first local food store started in Wanju (probably the Yongjin Agricultural Cooperative Local Food Store). It was a huge success and spread to Wanju and Jeonju, and then nationwide. It's mainly organized by local agricultural cooperatives!
I often use it because I can buy various fresh local agricultural products at reasonable (cheap) prices, and the meat is also of good quality. They also have good basil, so I sometimes buy basil to make basil pesto.
Yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) I made after grocery shopping and getting home.
I clearly intended to make spicy yukgaejang, but it tasted more like cabbage hangover soup?
Still, it tasted good, so I ate it as a rice soup with lots of Cheongyang chili peppers for dinner.
Sagwadang Apple Pie, Vanilla Apple Pie, French Pie (Blueberry, Peach, Apple)
For dessert, we had Sagwadang apple pie~ These days, franchises are popping up here and there, so it's a flavor that's often okay to eat. The blueberry, peach, and apple French pies are all delicious, but my one pick is blueberry.
This is how our half-day trip to Yesan near Cheonan ended~~ Bye for now!
Places Mentioned:
- Chusa Memorial Hall: Chungcheongnam-do Yesan-gun Sinam-myeon Chusagotaek-ro 249
- Chusa Kim Jeong-hee's Old House: Chungcheongnam-do Yesan-gun Sinam-myeon Chusagotaek-ro 261
- Tomb of Chief State Councilor Kim Heung-gyeong: Chungcheongnam-do Yesan-gun Sinam-myeon Yonggung-ri San 73-28
- Sagwadang Yesan Branch: Chungcheongnam-do Yesan-gun Yesan-eup Hyeongjegoae-ro 972
- Cheonan Local Food Store: Chungcheongnam-do Cheonan-si Seobuk-gu Beonyeong-ro 208 Cheonan Sports Complex Parking Lot 1, Cheonan Local Food Store City Hall Branch
Key Locations Visited:
- Chusa Memorial Hall, Chusa's Old House, Yesan Yonggung-ri White Pine (Located at the Tomb of Chief State Councilor Kim Heung-gyeong)
- Yesan Market
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